Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

Definition

A medical imaging technique that uses radioactive tracers to measure metabolic activity and blood flow in the brain. It detects gamma rays emitted by positrons, which are produced when a tracer substance breaks down in the body.

Related terms

Radioactive Tracer: A substance that is injected into the body during a PET scan to help visualize specific processes or structures in the brain.

Metabolic Activity:

The chemical reactions happening inside cells that produce energy and enable different functions within our bodies.

Gamma Rays: High-energy electromagnetic radiation emitted during certain nuclear processes, such as radioactive decay.